2 dead as small plane crashes at car dealership

A small plane crashed in a car dealership parking lot in Marietta, Ohio, Tuesday morning, leaving the pilot and a passenger dead, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

The pilot and passenger were the only people aboard the twin-engine Beechcraft BE9L, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

They were identified by the state patrol as Eric Seevers, 45, of Parkersburg, West Virginia, and Timothy Gifford, 49, of Orient, Ohio.

Gifford had recently retired from the Columbus Division of Fire, according to Columbus ABC affiliate WSYX.

The accident at the Pioneer Buick GMC dealership sparked a fire that took about 30 minutes to extinguish, said Marietta police.

Police do not believe anyone on the ground was injured.

Marietta is located in southeast Ohio along the West Virginia border.